U.S. patent number 6,293,564 [Application Number 09/192,332] was granted by the patent office on 2001-09-25 for in-line roller skate.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Tecnica SPA. Invention is credited to Andrea Gabrielli.
United States Patent |
6,293,564 |
Gabrielli |
September 25, 2001 |
In-line roller skate
Abstract
An in-line roller skate, which comprises a rigid shell wherein a
flexible inner shoe is housed. The latter is advantageously lined
at the level of its leg portion by a cover, thereby defining with
it a sheath substantially open downward in which the upper part of
the shell is housed. In this way, when the skater's ankle bends
forwards it is supported by the inner shoe as a result of the
interference arising between the cover and the upper part of the
shell. This allows a great freedom of movement in a longitudinal
direction for the skater's ankle, which can be bent even in a very
accentuated manner, differently from what occurs in the known
skates, where the bottom of the leg is enclosed in a rigid leg
portion. At the same time, good support is maintained in a lateral
direction owing to the upper part of the shell which allows the
transmission of the guiding movements. According to a preferred
embodiment, the cover may be hinged to the shell in the malleolar
regions.
Inventors: |
Gabrielli; Andrea (Predatto,
IT) |
Assignee: |
Tecnica SPA (Treviso,
IT)
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Family
ID: |
11420279 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/192,332 |
Filed: |
November 16, 1998 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Nov 27, 1997 [IT] |
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TV97A0166 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
280/11.224;
280/11.3; 36/115 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B
5/0405 (20130101); A43B 5/16 (20130101); A43B
5/1616 (20130101); A63C 17/06 (20130101); A43B
5/1625 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63C
17/04 (20060101); A43B 5/16 (20060101); A43B
5/04 (20060101); A63C 17/06 (20060101); A63C
017/06 (); A43B 005/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;280/11.3,11.31,11.32,11.19,11.221,11.224 ;36/115,118.2,119.1 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0780062 |
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Jun 1997 |
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EP |
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97/18725 |
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May 1997 |
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WO |
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Primary Examiner: Mai; Lanna
Assistant Examiner: Restifo; Jeff
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In-line roller skate, comprising a frame on which the wheels are
mounted, a substantially rigid outer shell fitted onto the frame
and including an upper part arranged round the ankle or at least
the rear thereof, a flexible inner shoe provided with a leg portion
and arranged within the shell, wherein the leg portion of the
flexible shoe is lined externally with a cover (54) secured to it
so as to define with the exterior of the leg portion a sheath,
which is substantially open downward and in which the upper part of
the shell is housed.
2. The skate according to claim 1, wherein the cover is hinged to
the shell in opposed positions with respect to a longitudinal plane
of the skate passing through the in-line wheels.
3. The skate according to claim 2, wherein the cover is hinged in
the malleolar regions of a foot housed in the skate.
4. The skate according to claim 2, wherein the hinging of the cover
to the shell is made by means of screw-threaded bushes and
screws.
5. The skate according to claim 2, wherein the hinging of the cover
is made by means of press-studs.
6. The skate according to claim 1, wherein the cover is secured
upward to the leg portion along a line which extends at the upper
edge of the leg portion.
7. The skate according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein
the shell is substantially shaped as a boot which encloses the
flexible inner shoe.
8. The skate according to any one of claim 1, wherein the shell is
shaped so as to be present substantially only in the rear region
thereby leaving the flexible inner shoe exposed at the front.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention refers to skates with aligned wheels, that is
to say those skates widely used nowadays and also known by the
English naming "in-line" skates.
As is known, these skates consist basically of a frame supporting
the wheels according to the particular in-line arrangement
mentioned above, and a boot fitted onto such frame.
Considering the current prevailing commercial trends, it is
possible to divide the aforesaid skates on the basis of the type of
boot mounted on the frame; in particular it is possible to
distinguish two distinct categories of skates: those with rigid
boots and those with soft boots.
In the first of said classes the boot consists of a rigid shell,
generally made from plastic material, which includes a sole that
represents the part of the boot fixed to the frame; on the shell
there is hinged, with bosses or pins, a leg portion which defines
the upper part of the boot.
Also the leg portion is made from plastic material like that of the
shell and together with the latter they enclose a padded inner
shoe, in which the skater's foot is comfortably accomodated. In
order to assist the ventilation of the foot it is also known to
provide in the shell and/or the leg portion, openings that allow
the passage of air.
In the second class of skates instead of the rigid shell described
above there is a shoe with a flexible upper made preferably from
synthetic fabric; the shoe is fixed by means of adhesive or other
suitable systems to a rigid support or abutment which is located in
the region of the heel, as well as to a toe-piece also rigid
located at the tip: both the abutment and the toe piece are solid
with a sole fitted onto the frame.
The abutment of these skates extends up to the level of the
malleoli and a rigid leg portion of the type used for the rigid
boots already mentioned above, is hinged on it; however, differing
from what occurs in the other type of skates, the flexible upper
per se allows a good transpiration and ventilation of the foot and
there is therefore no need to arrange specific openings on it for
this purpose.
Examples of skates produced according to this last teaching are
known from International Patent Application No. PCT/FR96/01618 in
the name of Salomon, and from European Patent Application No. 0 780
062 in the name of Nordica, both already published. In practice the
principal difference between the respective skates to which these
two applications refer, lies in the fact that in the first one the
flexible upper finishes slightly above the hinging points of the
rigid leg portion, which therefore has its own independent inner
padding, whereas in the second one the flexible upper extends up to
the calf (the inner shoe is therefore similar to an ankle-boot) so
that a rigid leg portion hinged to the abutment can be fitted
externally thereof.
In general it may be stated that the rigid boots provide greater
immediacy in the control transmission from the foot to the skate,
while the soft boots offer greater comfort; consequently the former
are more suitable for skates in which greater manoeuvrability is
required, whereas the latter are more suitable where a higher
degree of comfort is preferred.
There are however situations in which neither type of skates is
capable of satisfactorily obtaining the performances demanded of
them.
For example there are cases wherein the skater makes large
movements, such as during long duration competition, in the course
thereof the legs of the athlete describe a wide stride for which
the ankle must be able to be bent in an accentuated manner; on such
occasions neither the skates with rigid boots nor those with soft
boots can provide adequate freedom of movement for the ankle and
ensure in the meantime the necessary effect of containing and
supporting the foot for correct skating.
In both cases indeed the rigid leg portion inevitably limits the
flexing of the ankle, since it fits closely round the bottom of the
leg with respect to which, in its rotations about the hinging pins,
it assumes positions that increasingly diverge as the inclination
of the ankle increases.
Such divergence causes interference and friction between the
skater's leg and the leg portion of the boot, which cannot be
tolerated for prolonged periods, as in the case of the long
duration competitions mentioned above, since they cause painful
stresses in the athletes and limit their performances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is therefore that of providing
a remedy to such a situation.
In other words, the invention aims at providing an in-line roller
skate in which the boot is suitable for complying with the
movements of the lower part of the leg, especially in the case of
wide flexions of the ankle.
This object is achieved by a skate whose characterising features
are stated in the claims annexed to this description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the invention as a whole, with its
features and the advantages deriving therefrom, a detailed
description will now be given of exemplary and non-limiting
embodiments thereof illustrated in the appended drawings,
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a skate according to an embodiment of the
invention;
FIGS. 2 and 3 show a side view of respective parts that constitute
the skate in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 shows a side view of the coupling of the parts of the skate
shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;
FIG. 5 is an elevational view partly sectioned, of the skate in
FIG. 1;
FIGS. 6a-6d show a skate shell according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 7 shows a side view of a skate according to another embodiment
of the present invention;
FIGS. 8 and 9 show a side view of respective parts that constitute
the skate in FIG. 7;
FIG. 10 shows a side view of the coupling of the parts of the skate
shown in FIGS. 8 and 9; and
FIGS. 11a-11d show a skate shell according to another embodiment of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the figures listed above, the reference 1 indicates as a whole
an in-line roller skate according to the invention.
This skate consists of a rigid shell 2, made from plastic material
of the type already known per se and used in the art for
manufacturing the shells of the skates, fixed on a frame 3 wherein
the wheels 4 are mounted; a soft inner shoe 5 is accomodated in the
shell, from which it projects upward as it will better result
later. Using the same terminology of the previous description of
the state of the art, it could be said that the shell 2 and the
inner shoe 5 in this case form the boot of skate 1.
With regard to the frame 3 and the wheels 4, these are also of a
type already known per se and therefore they will not be described
in greater detail here; reference should be made for this purpose
to what exists in the current applications.
The shell 2 is shaped basically like a boot which ends slilghtly
above the level of the malleoli of the skater's foot; the shell has
a sole 20 fixed to the frame 3 at two different points, that is to
say, in the region of the heel and in that of the tip, optionally
by fixing means which allow adjustment of the position of the shoe
with respect to the frame.
The shell 2 is also provided at the rear with a notch 65 which
confers a certain flexibility (see FIGS. 6a-6d) and makes it
possible to introduce the inner shoe 5 easily from behind, as shown
in FIG. 4.
In the shell 2 ventilation openings 21 are also formed according to
the known teaching in the art, while in the malleolar regions of
the a housed in the skate there are two holes 22 (only one of these
is visible in the drawings) opposed to one another with respect to
a median longitudinal plane of the skate passing through the
aligned wheels; the function of said holes will be explained more
clearly hereinafter.
For tightening the shell 2 around the skater's foot, in this
example a closure with laces 23 has been used; it is clear,
however, that such a closure may be replaced by other systems, such
as hooks, strips of Velcro (Reg. trademark) and the like.
The inner shoe 5 contained in the above-mentioned shell comprises
an upper 50 of soft material which is closed at the bottom by a
sole (not shown in the drawings) and is provided above with a leg
portion 51 which ends with an edge 52; the inner shoe 5 also
comprises a padded tongue 53 arranged in the front of it.
The leg portion 51 of the inner boot is externally lined with a
flexible cover 54, which is attached to it (for example by sewing)
along a line 55 located slightly below the upper edge 52, with
respect to which it extends substantially parallel.
As can be observed in the drawings, between the cover 54 and the
outer surface of the leg portion 51 there is defined a sheath
(similar to an air space) for housing an upper part 24 of the shell
2, that is to say a part located mainly above the malleolar region
and which will be appreciated more clearly in the continuation of
this description.
On the cover 54 there are also formed two slots 57 in a position
corresponding to that of the holes 22 on the shell; said slots and
holes are intended for receiving means for hinging the cover 54 to
the shell, in this example consisting of a bush 60 having an
internal screw thread and provided with a flattened head,
associated to a screw 61.
The inner shoe 5 is finally completed by a closure system 23 with
laces 63 and Velcro (Reg. trademark) 64 which, when the inner shoe
is inserted into the shell 2, is located above the closure laces 23
of the latter; obviously also this closure system may be
substituted by others equivalent according to the most varied
alternatives.
For assembling the skate 1, the shoe 5 is introduced into the shell
2 in such a manner that the cover 54 remains outside the upper part
24 of the shell (see FIG. 4); as a consequence, the latter part is
then housed in the sheath formed by aforesaid cover and the outer
surface of the shoe 5.
At this point the cover 54 can be hinged to the opposed sides of
the shell 2, by means of the screws 61 and the bushes 60: indeed
the bushes are introduced into the holes 22 from the inside of the
shell and their flattened head serves as a backsight element
against the wall (see the area in section in FIG. 5) of the shell,
while their screw-threaded part passes through the holes 22 and the
slots 57 of the cover so as to allow the fitting of the screws 61
from the outside.
It should be observed that in the skate of the present invention,
the fact that the cover is hinged to the shell allows it to rotate
with respect to an axis transverse to the skate itself, defined by
the straight line which joins the hinging points and constituted in
this case by the aforesaid screws and bushes.
The final condition assumed by the skate after its various parts
have been assembled as described above, is shown in FIG. 1.
From what has been explained hitherto it is possible to understand
how the invention achieves the object for which it is intended.
Indeed, owing to the cover 54 and to the particular arrangement of
the upper part of the shell 2 which is housed in the sheath defined
between the cover and the inner shoe 5, the bottom of the skater's
leg is now supported in front by the shoe itself: there is now no
need for any rigid leg portion like that present in the known
skates already mentioned, as well as it is no more necessary to
provide a particularly high, rigid shell which would moreover be
uncomfortable and hinder the movements of the skater.
For better understanding these aspects reference should be made to
the situation outlined before, in which the skater's ankle is bent
in an accentuated manner: for this purpose reference should also be
made to FIG. 1 and FIGS. 6a-6d that show a "rest" position of the
skate, and starting therefrom imagine to bend the ankle as just
mentioned: it is not difficult to understand that in such
circumstances the leg portion 51 of the inner shoe 5 moves forwards
(that is to say, towards the tip of the skate) facilitating the
movement of the lower part of the leg.
Such movement cannot be hindered by the shell 2 because, as can be
seen from the drawings (see FIG. 5), the shell is open at the front
i.e. where the tongue 53 of the inner shoe 5 is located; this means
that the ankle can be bent freely even with marked inclinations,
just as desired for this application.
However, since the upper part of the shell is housed between the
cover 54 and the exterior of the leg portion 51, the latter is
retained in its forward movement by the interference which is
produced between the cover 54 and the upper part of the shell 2. In
other terms, it may be stated that the cover 54 allows relative
movements between the shell and the leg portion, at the same time
exerting a retaining action on the leg portion itself so as to
support the front part of the leg when the ankle is bent.
It is in fact clear that the forward movements of the leg portion
51 of the inner shoe 5 should be limited to some extent, otherwise
there would be a risk that the skater's leg is not supported
adequately. In this connection the fact should not be overlooked
that, as can also be seen from the drawings, the configuration of
the rigid shell 2 is such as to support laterally and at the rear
the articulation of the foot: indeed, as already stated the shell
is open at the front in its upper part for facilitating the forward
movements of the leg portion 51, but on the sides and at the rear
it is formed in such a manner as to contain the ankle as required
for skating.
It can therefore be stated that the skate of the present invention
provides performances comparable to those of the other skates known
at present, as regards the lateral and rear supporting of the lower
part of the leg; however, it is superior in relation to the bending
of the ankle, since it is able to adapt to the positions assumed by
the lower part of the leg as explained.
It is not difficult to appreciate that these results have been
obtained by eliminating the rigid leg portion which is present in
the known skates; as stated at the beginning of this description,
indeed, the rotation of said leg portion about fixed hinge points
in the skate does not allow it to adapt to the lower part of the
leg, when the ankle is markedly bent.
On the contrary, in the skate of the present invention the rigid
leg portion has been completely eliminated, with all the clear
advantages deriving therefrom; it is just to be said that the leg
portion 51 of the inner shoe 5 is flexible and therefore does not
provide any hindrance to the movements of the leg. Nor should it be
overlooked that the leg portion 51 is not hinged to a fixed point
as occurs with the rigid leg portions of the prior art: this allows
to adapt it better to the various positions assumed by the skater's
ankle.
Obviously, all these effects can be predetermined at the time of
designing and manufacturing the skates, by suitably choosing the
size of the sheath formed by the cover 54 and the leg portion 51,
the materials of which the inner shoe 5 as well as the cover 54 and
the shell 2 are made (indeed the resilience and the friction of the
various materials may play an important role in obtaining the
results which have been described), and other factors that may
depend from case to case on the specific manufacturing forms of the
skates.
In this context it should also be pointed out that the significant
results obtained by the invention and referred heretofore, are
improved in a surprising manner by hinging the cover 54 to the
shell 2.
In some respects it may indeed be stated that the hinging of the
cover, especially when effected in the region of the malleoli as in
the case described, achieves the effect of guiding the movements of
the leg portion 51 without however preventing the inner shoe 5 from
complying in an optimal manner with the various positions assumed
by the skater's ankle; it is clear in fact that the shoe inside the
shell 2 remains free to deform itself by virtue of its flexibility
(see FIGS. 6c-6d), so as to permit the flexing of the ankle as
already stated.
It seems useful at this point to draw attention to the fact that
European Patent Application No. 0 780 062 referred to above,
describes a skate wherein a cover hinged to the abutment located in
the region of the heel, is fitted round the rigid leg portion
associated to the flexible inner shoe.
However, it is important not to be misled by this apparent
similarity to the invention. Indeed, the cover indicated in this
document has no functional purpose but has instead been provided
for purely aesthetic reasons (to conceal the plastics of the rigid
leg portion), in as much as its provision is referred to as
optional (see column 2, lines 35-36 and 47-50) in the published
text of the application.
From the analysis of this publication it is further not difficult
to understand that the cover in question is solid with the rigid
leg portion, which can rotate about its hinging points on the
support or abutment located in the region of the heel; as a
consequence, the cover does not interact in any way with the shell
or with another fixed part of the skate, as occurs instead in the
present invention.
Naturally, variations of the latter are possible with respect to
the example thereof given heretofore.
As an indication it is not difficult to consider that the cover 54
may give rise to several alternative solutions; preferably it is
indeed made from synthetic fabric or from leather or the like,
possibly even elasticised, however the possibility should not be
excluded of substituting it with meshes or other similar structures
which, of course, attain the same effects already mentioned.
Also as regards the fixing of the cover to the leg portion it is
possible to envisage changes.
In fact, the junction along the line 55 has the advantage of
constituting a valid system for keeping the upper part 24 of the
shell, stable in its position between the cover and the leg portion
of the shoe 5; however it can be stated in more general terms that
the methods of fixing the cover should principally allow the
introduction and the housing of the shell, in accordance with what
has already been explained: consequently, once these conditions are
fulfilled any variant may be compatible, in principle, with the
invention.
Likewise, the possibility should not be excluded of forming the
cover 54 in segments separate from one another, to be connected by
suitable joining means.
It should be borne in mind, indeed, that in the example of the
invention considered heretofore the cover consists of a single
portion which surrounds the leg portion 51; as can be seen from
FIG. 4, this makes it necessary to introduce the inner shoe 5 into
the shell 2, arranging it in such a manner as to fit the upper part
of the shell into the sheath defined between the cover and the leg
portion.
It can be understood, however, that this operation might be
simplified by providing a cover formed of separate segments, to be
connected each other in order to constitute the whole cover with
suitable joining means such as zip fasteners, strips of Velcro
(Regd. trademark) or the like, once the shoe is located inside the
shell. In other terms for carrying out the operation shown in FIG.
4, in this case the shoe would have to be introduced at first into
the shell with the various segments of the cover left free from one
another, and then the latter should be joined together with the zip
fasteners or one of the other systems above mentioned, thereby
re-establishing the integrity of the cover for the operating
condition of the skate.
Finally, also for hinging the cover to the shell the solution
provided by the bushes and the screws 60, 61 can easily be changed;
among the many possible alternatives, mention will be made here
only to press-studs, which are practical to fasten and unfasten,
allow rotation between the coupled elements forming them, and are
available at low cost.
The possibility should not however be excluded of also adopting, in
order to form the hinging system, elements of the Velcro type
(Regd. trademark) which although they do not allow true rotation
between them, are sufficiently flexible for adapting to the use
proposed for this invention.
Consequently, the methods for hinging the cover to the shell should
be interpreted sufficiently widely as to include all those
connecting systems which make it possible to operate according to
the teaching derived from what has been described above.
Analogous considerations to those dealt with hitherto also apply to
the second embodiment of the invention, of which FIGS. 7-10 and
11a-11d give a view similar to that of the preceding case.
For an easier understanding, the parts which correspond
structurally or functionally to those already described in
connection with the first example of the invention, are indicated
by the same reference numbers in the drawings and hereinafter only
some of them will be considered in order to explain the more
significant differences.
Comparing FIGS. 1-4 and 7-10, it can be seen that the shell 2 of
this second skate is no longer in the shape of a complete boot, but
rather comprises only the rigid sole 20 fixed to the frame from
which the upper part 24 projects in order to form the rear of the
shell.
The inner shoe 5 is then visible at the front and its upper 50 is
reinforced at the top with a toe-piece 58 and at the rear with a
semi-rigid heel 59 of plastics material or other. From the heel 59
there projects a hook-shaped appendage 59a, intended to engage with
an opening or notch 65 present in the rear of the shell 2 (see
FIGS. 10 and 11a-11d), in order to better secure the shoe 5 to the
shell 2. Also, similar to FIGS. 6a-6d, FIGS. 11a-11d show the
flexibility of shell 2.
Also in this case the leg portion 51 of the shoe 5 ends with an
upper edge 52 and is lined externally by a flexible cover 54, sewn
at the top along the junction line 55; as already seen before,
between the cover 54 and the outer surface of the leg portion 51
there is defined a sheath for receiving the upper part 24 of the
shell 2 (see FIG. 10).
With regard to the functional features and the advantages, as well
as the possible variants, of this second embodiment of the
invention, for sake of brevity reference should be made to what has
been explained previously.
In these circumstances it needs only be added that this second
skate is more comfortable than the other; indeed, the fact of
having the shoe 5 free at the front, makes it possible to obtain a
better ventilation of the foot with all the advantages that derives
therefrom; moreover, the elimination of the front part of the shell
allows a softer fitting of the foot, since the front of the shoe 5
is now no longer in contact with a rigid casing.
These and further possible variants are included however in the
scope of the claims which follow.
* * * * *